"I'm interested that you don't like Jack & Jill bathrooms - why? I guess lots of people don't, because one rarely sees them. Though when I think of a Jack & Jill bathroom, I think of one that has really 3 compartments - 2 outer rooms each with toilet and sink, and a shared inner room with tub/shower. It makes sense to me, because I can share a tub or shower but want my own space for the stuff I store in the bathroom (separate from my husband, we drive each other crazy with this), and because I want 2 toilets. However, at least one would have to be accessible from a hall, not just from the bedroom." This is exact set-up we have in our current home, but as the only bathroom(s) in the house. The only addition is that the W/D are also in the center room with the tub, and each "half bath" also contains a linen closet. On the plans, it's called a "compartment bath", so maybe that's as a distinction from the traditional "jack and jill" that is a single bath open to two rooms. Ours is an MCM home, and the two doors into the compartment bath are from two short halls that each serve two bedrooms. It works just as you think it would. The only downside functionally is that there are a LOT of doors in a small area. It's an ideal set-up for just the two of us. But it will give us fits when it comes time for resale. A traditional buyer won't get it. Heck, they probably won't get the MCM house, either. So we'll be looking for just the right buyer (as were the POs when they sold the house to us).

We have two rooms that also serve as guest bedrooms. My parents regularly visit us and typically stay for 2-3 weeks. My SIL and some friends come occasionally for 3-4 day visits. The room where my parents stay is also my home office/sewing room. It's a den without a closet on the first floor. I set it up as a dual purpose room: - I found that a queen size futon worked better than a sleeper sofa or a bed. Not a cheap futon from Target, but a more expensive one from a specialty store. Our futon has an innerspring mattress. When unfolded, with all the bedding on top, it looks like a regular queen bed. My parents, who are in their 70's, love the mattress. When they aren't here visiting, the futon works fine as a couch; - I bought a vintage chifferobe like this one. Same setup inside but different exterior. Mine is a solid quartersawn oak, made in England in the 30's-40's. It holds my sewing projects, both folded on the shelves and hanging on the hangers, as well as my sewing machine. When my parents come over, my sewing work-in-progress goes into a box and to another closet together with the sewing machine. I hardly do any sewing when I have guests! - I also have a vanity with a tall mirror - great for my guests and also for myself when I try on clothes I'm working on; - All my sewing implements and office stuff are stored in a long nine-drawer dresser. There are bookshelves on the wall right above the dresser, and also a tall bookshelf on another wall. Half of the shelf space is taken up by books and binders for my writing projects, and the rest is just regular reading material - novels, paperbacks, magazines, etc. My mom often peruses my decor and gardening magazines, and my dad pulls out a book or two as well; - I use a 4' by 4' dining table as my work desk. It's easy to disassemble by just unscrewing the legs. When guests come, we move the table to the garage so there would be enough room for the fully unfolded queen futon and an armchair. The armchair migrates from another room on the same floor; - My computer stuff is minimal since I use a laptop and wireless printer/scanner/copier. The compact printer sits on the long dresser under the bookshelves. The modem and router are in my DH's home office. We have a TV in a room next door, which works great as a retreat away from the hubbub of activity on the upper floor. It's a split entry house with the kitchen, dining and living rooms on the second floor. The other guest bedroom has a daybed with a twin mattress, a bedside stand, a humongous recliner, a writing desk and a closet. It's on the second floor. When my SIL or a single friend visit, they stay there. I make room for the guest's things in the closet by moving half of the clothes to the chifferobe in my home office/sewing room. The closet has a long mirror on one of its doors. My SIL writes articles for the local press in her city, and she appreciates the desk and recliner. Between the visits the room serves as a quiet sitting room. My DS likes to spread on the daybed with his Magic or Pokemon cards, and I often read a book or magazine there before going to bed.

BB, I was just thinking of posting an update, so perfect timing. Yes the blasted post is gone baby gone! Here is the bathroom layout that ended up working the best after mocking up several different configuration. I actually will be able to fit up to a 48" vanity. The vanity and toilet bump back into the bedroom wall. Shower opposite with angled wall toward the entry to it. I am loving it! Ecko has already made herself at home on my couch mock up! This view is taken standing at front door. Here is the new bathroom layout. That line in front of vanity and toilet is that header beam above. I'm thinking about a flat ceiling with soft lighting over that area. But on bedroom side, that wall will go straight up to the angled ceiling. TV is going there. Not quite centered to bed, but good enough. Still a lot to do, but we are thrilled with everything. Everyone who sees it wants to move in! Thank you my GW fam! Pretty soon, I will be asking for finishes help!

We have mostly vintage, antique, and seventies reproduction (Kindel, Henkel Harris) furniture with some new Lee Industries chairs and sofa (I would love to find a place to reupholster and slipcover my 25-year old Altman's sofa), but we do have a number of things from Ikea, and will be getting more for our new house -- the kitchen, and also bathroom vanities (decently made and hard to beat the storage and design for the price point) and Aina 100 percent linen curtains ($69/pair); curtain rods and hardware are decent too. Industrial-style pendant lamps for the pantry and laundry room. We live in Canada far from the U.S. border and not too close to any of the bigger cities, and are stuck with a lot of crummy chain stores. I prefer to avoid HomeSense, Winners, etc. and the furniture at Sears, Ashley, as noted above, isn't even worth talking about. Because of our location, winter is long and dark, so I also like Ikea's unscented votives and tea lights -- we go through a lot, and the price is right. Oh, and the solar Chinese-style round lanterns, going strong in my greenhouse for five years. The Oftast tempered glass dishes (dinner plates, bowls, salad plates etc.) for 79 to 99 cents each are great for entertaining. Considering the cost of paper and plastic, they paid for themselves after a few years of larger summer and holiday gatherings. We'll need some more occasional chairs in the new house and I've been thinking of Ikea for that. I would love a chaise longue somewhere, and Ikea might be the only way to justify it. I find Ikea in general works well if you do it like the best Ikea kitchens here on GW -- mix it up a bit so it's not entirely Ikea. It works well/looks best when it's in a mix of low and high (cost/quality).